Thursday, June 28, 2018

Heartbroken

Lo some years ago, I had the pleasure of serving on the District Youth Steering Committee with some amazing teens (who are all now adult shaped people, but I digress) and some passionate adults. One of those adults worked as a reporter as her day job. At the Capitol Gazette.

I didn't think anything of it when I first saw the news about the shooting. As the day went on I checked into Facebook, saw some other folks marking themselves safe. And I saw one person asking for news of her. Some of her kids (two of which I also had the pleasure of working with) no longer live in the area.

Her whole Facebook page had turned into people asking her to check in.

I checked Twitter. Her name pulled up all tweets of people asking her to check in.

I felt an odd mix of emotions. We hadn't really kept in touch post-committee, so did I deserve to feel sad? She has friends and family who will feel the loss more deeply. Adding to the people awaiting word seemed unnecessary. And while I knew refreshing Twitter and Facebook would do little to make her safe, but the illusion of control was seductive.

I wrote this before I knew anything. I wrote this hoping this would be a good reminder to reach out to folks, keep up with folks. As names started coming out it was the conflicting mix of emotions, as each name wasn't the person I knew, since it wasn't any less sad for these people to be dead. This was her. I am so sad for her family. I am so sad that there are more heartbroken families tonight.